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'BLITHELY   THEY  WENT   UPON  THEIR  WAY.' 


THE  HOUSE 
OF  CHIMHAM 


By 

EDGAR  WHITAKER  WORK 


•F  TBI 

[university] 

Of 
^ALIFOfU<i> 


AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY 
150    NASSAU    STREET,    NEW    YORK 


l44v  ^(P^ 


V\f£ 


Copyright,   1909 
By  AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY 


To 

The  Sweet  Memory 

of  a  brown-eyed  Boy 

of  thirteen  summers 

.  who  was  already  in  love 

with  the  beauty  of  the  world 

when  God  called  him  into  His  own 

Limitless  Beauty 


189831 


THE   HOUSE  OF 
CHIMHAM 


"CT^HERE  is  a  blessing  in  the  air, 

Which  seems  a  sense  of  joy  to  yield 
To  the  bare  trees,  and  mountains  bare, 
And  grass  in  the  green  fields" 


How  deep  into  the  great  Past  the 
roots  of  the  wondrous  story  go,  and 
what  preparation  it  had  in  the  in- 
stincts and  chivalries  of  men — 

How  a  long-ago  kindly  deed  grew 
and  ripened  with  the  years,  and  how 
it  contributed  to  the  world's  Great 
Surprise — 

How  such  kingly  forces  of  men  as 
Friendship,    Love  and   Hope    were 


6        The   House   of  Chimham 

preserved  and  beautified  through  the 
lapse  of  time,  and  were  caught  up 
at  length  into  God's  own  Fine  Ro- 
mance— 

How  commonplace  names  and 
things  were  enveloped  in  a  large 
Purpose,  grew  silently  into  a  pro- 
found meaning,  and  shone  in  the 
fine  light  of  Duty,  Hope  and  Ser- 
vice— 

All  this  and  more  is  the  story  of 
the  House  of  Chimham. 

It  began  away  yonder  in  a  distant 
century,  but  its  fragrance  lingers 
upon  the  air ;  its  beauty  hovers 
above  the  hearthstone ;  its  impulse 
is  like  iron  in  the  blood  of  men. 

It  began — and  it  is  not  finished. 
It  never  can  be  finished ;  for  it  be- 
longs to  that  rich  store  of  wonder  in 
the  human  heart  which  ages  of  his- 
tory cannot  exhaust.  It  is  near  to 
all  kindly  hearts  and  brave  endeav- 
ors.    Its  touch  rests  silently  upon  all 


The    House   of  Chimham       j 

loving  loyalty,  all  quiet  chivalry. 
Its  grace  blossoms  with  more  than 
nature's  spring-time  wonder  into  the 
fruit  of  character,  and  its  fulness  is 
the  whole  world's  Desire  and  Prom- 
ise. 

All  this  and  more  is  the  story  of 
the  House  of  Chimham.  Its  material 
is  first  history,  but  afterwards  it  is 
something  more — it  is  Imagination, 
it  is  Beauty,  it  is  Hope ;  it  is  all 
that  makes  life  worth  the  living. 

In  the  long-ago  a  man  came  forth 
to  greet  the  King,  gave  him  his 
heart's  welcome,  brought  gifts  to 
him,  soothed  his  sorrow,  and  sup- 
ported his  need.  And  as  the  years 
went  by,  those  who  came  after  him, 
bound  by  some  great  noblesse  oblige, 
continued  to  make  ready  for  the 
King,  looked  into  the  face  of  each 
guest  who  came  to  discern  a  Greater 
Presence,  until  at  length  in  the  long 
reward  of  time  the  true  King  came, 


8       The   House  of  Chimham 

the  True  Guest  also  of  that  world 
which  is  in  the  heart  of  man. 

And  when  the  True  Guest  came, 
his  coming  was  the  fulfilment  of 
many  promises,  not  alone  of  written 
prophecies,  but  of  unwritten  proph- 
ecies that  grow  richly  in  the 
hearts  of  those  who  set  themselves 
grandly  yet  simply  to  love  and  serve. 

This  is  the  story  of  the  House  of 
Chimham,  some  broken  words  and 
phrases  of  which  are  to  be  written 
here.  Poor,  faded  name  of  the  long- 
ago  !  Yet  perchance  it  deserves  to 
be  written  close  to  that  Name  whose 
light  can  never  fade. 


"Of    HE  Bactrian  was  but  a  wild  childish  many 

And  could  not  write  nor  speak,  but  only  loved. " 


If  the  rocks  of  Olivet  could  speak, 
they  would  unfold  many  a  tale  of 
pathos.  For  in  days  gone  by,  when 
men  were  overshadowed  by  sorrow, 
they  turned  often  to  the  slopes  and 
heights  of  Olivet,  as  if  its  solitude 
might  comfort  theirs.  So  in  the 
day  when  sorrow  pierced  his  soul, 
royal  David  "  passed  over  the  brook 
Kidron,  and  all  the  people  passed 
over,  toward  the  way  of  the  wilder- 
ness." In  all  the  days  since  that 
day  many  have  climbed  the  steeps  of 
Olivet  with  David,  for  the  heart  of 
man  lies  buried  deep  in  this  fathom- 
less Book  of  Life. 

Slowly  we   see  him  go  out  into 
the  land  of  tears,  his  pain  not  of  the 


io      The   House  of  Chimham 

body,  but  of  the  soul.  "  And  all 
the  country  wept  with  a  loud  voice." 
It  is  a  pity  to  see  a  King  bowed 
down  and  sorrowful !  Behind  in  the 
city  were  the  pomp  and  glory  of 
the  kingdom,  but  the  King  himself 
went  forth  in  pathetic  solitude  into 
the  friendless  world.  Heavy  were 
his  footsteps,  but  heavier  still  was 
his  heart,  and  fear  and  haste  were  in 
his  blood.  In  later  days  the  mem- 
ory of  this  painful  journey  "  toward 
the  way  of  the  wilderness"  swept 
across  the  music  of  his  harp,  and 
left  a  minor  strain  trembling  in  his 
Hymns  of  Praise. 

"And  David  went  up  by  the  as- 
cent of  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and 
wept  as  he  went  up  ;  and  he  had 
his  head  covered,  and  went  bare- 
foot." How  often  has  history  told 
us  of  the  changing  order  of  the 
world.  Early  English  chronicles  re- 
late   the    story   of  King  Ine.     One 


The  House  of  Chimham      1 1 

day  Ine  feasted  royally  in  his  country 
house.  On  the  morrow  he  rode 
forth  in  the  morning,  flushed  with 
pride,  only  to  be  met  by  his  queen 
iEthelburgh,  who  bade  him  turn 
back.  And  when  the  king  returned, 
he  found  his  house  stripped  of  cur- 
tains and  vessels,  and  foul  with  ref- 
use and  the  dung  of  cattle.  In  the 
royal  bed  where  the  king  had  slept 
lay  a  sow  with  her  farrow  of  pigs, 
whilst  the  queen  stood  amidst  the 
ruin  and  said :  "  See,  my  lord,  how 
the  fashion  of  this  world  passeth 
away." 

It  is  the  lesson  all  must  learn. 
But  there  is  more  to  learn.  They 
who  travel  by  way  of  Olivet  out 
into  the  land  of  tears  are  not  alone. 
The  Great  Companion  is  not  dead. 
His  shade  is  round  about  them  to 
keep  them,  and  the  trustful  heart 
will  know  that  He  is  nigh.  And 
lest  the  soul  may  suffer  those  grave 


12      The  House  of  Chimham 

and  painful  doubts  which  men  are 
apt  to  feel  toward  the  Unseen  Friend 
in  hours  of  grief,  it  is  His  good  will 
to  send  companions  of  the  way,  who 
speak  our  language  and  share  our 
weakness. 

What  a  treasure  the  heart  has  in 
the  memory  of  those  companions  of 
the  way,  who  drew  near  and  walked 
with  us  into  the  land  of  tears ! 

Let  us  write  the  names  of  David's 
friends,  who  hailed  him  on  the  way 
toward  the  wilderness. 

Blessed  be  Ittai  the  Gittite  !  Dim, 
far-distant  name  he  bears,  but  his 
voice  like  the  sweet  note  of  a  flute 
sounds  from  the  banks  of  the  brook 
Kidron — "  As  Jehovah  liveth,  and 
as  my  lord  the  king  liveth,  surely  in 
what  place  my  lord  the  king  shall 
be,  whether  for  death  or  for  life, 
even  there  also  will  thy  servant  be." 

And  blessed  be  Hushai  the  Arch- 
ite  !     It  was  at  "  the  top  of  the  as- 


The  House  of  Chimham      13 

cent,"  where  the  heart  leaped  in  anx- 
ious haste,  and  the  breath  came  and 
went  in  fear — it  was  here  that 
Hushai  met  him,  "  with  his  coat 
rent,  and  earth  upon  his  head."  "  So 
Hushai,  David's  friend  " — his  name 
obscure  but  his  title  universal ! — 
"came  into  the  city  !  n 

And  blessed  be  Abishai  the  son 
of  Zeruiah  !  When  Shimei  cursed, 
following  along  the  hillside,  and 
throwing  stones  and  dust  at  the  king, 
then  this  rude  son  of  a  strong 
mother  flamed  forth  in  boundless  in- 
dignation :  H  Why  should  this  dead 
dog  curse  my  lord  the  king  ?  let  me 
go  over,  I  pray  thee,  and  take  off 
his  head." 

And  blessed  be  Jonathan  and 
Ahimaaz,  sons  of  the  priests,  who 
went  "  over  the  brook  of  water " 
for  love  and  loyalty's  sake !  And 
blessed  be  the  nameless  woman  who 
"  spread  the  covering  over  the  well's 


14      The  House  of  Chimham 

mouth,  and  strewed  bruised  corn 
thereon ! "  And  blessed  be  still  other 
companions  of  his  way!  These  are 
the  chivalries  that  shorten  the  way, 
and  gird  men  with  strength  and 
courage. 

And  the  king  traveled  on  the 
Way  of  Sorrow,  on  over  the  Jordan, 
on  into  the  land  of  Gilead.  And 
when  he  came  to  Mahanaim,  the 
greatest  though  the  humblest  of  his 
appointed  friends  came  to  meet  him. 
Down  from  the  heights  of  Rogelim 
he  came,  an  old  man  of  fourscore 
years.  Painters  have  not  often  caught 
his  figure  upon  their  canvases,  yet  it 
is  a  majestic  and  friendly  figure. 
His  eyesight  was  dim,  and  his  ears 
were  dull,  but  his  heart  was  buoyant 
with  friendship,  and  his  pulses  beat 
the  high  rhythm  of  love  that  makes 
the  music  of  the  world.  Out  of  the 
wilderness  he  came,  yet  his  arms 
were  full  of  gifts  and  his  heart  over- 


m 


'DOWN     FROM     THE     HEIGHTS     OF     ROGELIM     HE 
CAME." 


The  House  of  Chimham      15 

flowed  in  welcome.  Beds  he  brought 
for  the  king's  weariness,  and  basins 
and  earthen  vessels  for  his  comfort ; 
and  for  food  such  abundance  as  beg- 
gars description — wheat  and  barley 
and  flour  and  parched  corn  and 
beans  and  lentils  and  parched  pulse, 
and  honey  and  butter  and  sheep  and 
cheese  of  kine  ! 

This  was  Barzillai  the  Gileadite. 
Out  over  the  long  tract  of  years  his 
deed  of  friendship  shines,  with  a 
silver  sheen  that  reaches  upward  to 
the  sky.     Blessed  be  Barzillai ! 


"  TPOR  life,  with  all  it  yields  of  joy  and  woe, 
*    And  hope  and  fear, — believe  the  agedfriend,- 
Is  just  our  chance  oJ  the  prize  of  learning  love. 
How  love  might  be,  hath  been  indeed,  and  is." 


Write  the  name  of  Barzillai  the 
Gileadite  in  that  none  too  long  list 
of  great  and  loving  friends  by  which 
the  world  has  grown  rich  ! 

All  the  days  of  the  king's  exile 
Barzillai  provided  him  sustenance 
while  he  lay  at  Mahanaim.  "  For 
he  was  a  very  great  man  !  " — great 
in  the  gifts  of  his  heart  as  well  as 
in  the  gifts  of  his  hands.  He  was 
of  that  gracious  circle  of  men  who 
follow  a  compact  of  friendship,  and 
whether  in  the  city  or  in  the  wil- 
derness, they  look  beyond  the  faces 
of  men  to  see  the  face  of  the  Un- 
seen. 


The  House  of  Chimham      17 

"  Hush  !  I  pray  you  ! 
What  if  this  friend  happen  to  be — God  !  " 

He  knew  not  how  far  his  good 
deed  would  reach.  He  believed  un- 
consciously in  the  immortality  of 
goodness.  He  invested  his  kindness 
in  the  years  and  left  it  to  gather 
interest  from  the  skies.  Solitary 
figure  of  a  day  long  dead — a  sil- 
houette against  the  blue  sky  of 
Gilead !  Yet  is  he  also  as  a  priest 
of  the  good  things  of  God,  and  a 
prophet  likewise  "  of  the  wonder 
and  bloom  of  the  world,"  wherein 
all  may  have  a  share. 

When  the  peril  was  over,  and 
the  king  was  ready  to  return  to  the 
city,  it  was  in  his  heart  to  show  his 
gratitude  to  the  old  man  of  Rogelim, 
who  without  stint  had  poured  out 
for  him  in  his  distress  the  sweets  of 
friendship.  It  was  the  day  of  the 
king's  departure,  and  the  scene  en- 
acted that  day  might  well  be  hung 


1 8      The  House  of  Chimham 

in  the  gallery  of  masterpieces,  where- 
in men  are  seen  in  the  grandeur  of 
simplicity. 

Down  from  the  heights  of  Rogelim 
came  the  old  man,  the  weight  of  four- 
score years  not  enough  to  detain 
him,  for  he  was  minded  to  go  a  little 
way  over  Jordan  with  his  royal 
friend. 

"  Come  thou  over  with  me,  and 
I  will  sustain  thee  with  me  in  Jeru- 
salem." It  was  the  king  who  spoke, 
anxious  to  prove  his  gratitude. 

But  the  old  man  had  not  thought 
of  reward — he  had  but  planted  in 
the  desert  a  few  seeds  of  love,  to 
grow  and  blossom  as  they  would. 

"  How  many  are  the  days  of  the 
years  of  my  life,"  he  replied,  "that 
I  should  go  up  with  the  king  unto 
Jerusalem  ?  I  am  this  day  four- 
score years  old ;  can  I  discern  be- 
tween good  and  bad?  can  thy  ser- 
vant   taste  what    I    eat    or  what  I 


The  Mouse  of  Chimham      19 

drink?  can  I  hear  any  more  the 
voice  of  singing  men  and  singing 
women  ?  Wherefore  then  should 
thy  servant  be  yet  a  burden  unto 
my  lord  the  king?  Thy  servant 
would  but  just  go  over  the  Jordan 
with  the  king ;  and  why  should  the 
king  recompense  it  me  with  such  a 
reward  ? "  Thus  spoke  the  old  man 
eloquent. 

"Let  thy  servant,  I  pray  thee," 
he  continued,  with  the  irresistible 
appeal  of  filial  regard,  "turn  back 
again,  that  I  may  die  in  mine  own 
city,  by  the  grave  of  my  father  and 
my  mother."  Where  is  the  heart 
of  son  or  daughter  that  does  not 
echo  the  words — "the  grave  of  my 
father  and  my  mother  "  ? 

Yet  was  he  not  careless  of  the 
worth  of  royal  benefits.  They  were 
not  for  him  to  enjoy,  for  soon  he 
rtiust  be  gathered  unto  his  fathers. 
Men    live    in    their    children,    and 


20      The  House  of  Chimham 

daily  the  world  is  lifted  by  the  aspi- 
rations and  sacrifices  of  fathers  and 
mothers  for  those  who  are  bone  of 
their  bone  and  flesh  of  their  flesh. 
And  Barzillai  said  to  the  king: 
"But  behold,  thy  servant  Chimham; 
let  him  go  over  with  my  lord  the 
king;  and  do  to  him  what  shall 
seem  good  unto  thee." 

And  the  king  answered,  "  Chim- 
ham shall  go  over  with  me,  and  I 
will  do  to  him  that  which  shall 
seem  good  unto  thee."  Then  came 
a  scene  like  a  cameo  set  in  pearls, 
fit  to  be  worn  as  the  ornament  of 
peasants  or  of  kings  —  "The  king 
kissed  Barzillai,  and  blessed  him; 
and  he  returned  unto  his  own 
place." 

But  Chimham,  his  son,  went  with 
David  over  Jordan,  and  on  to  the 
royal  city  of  his  abode.  We  know 
not  his  stature,  nor  his  mien ;  never- 
theless his  name  slips  into  the  fade- 


The  House  of  Chimham     21 

less  history  that  moves  on  to  the 
world's  great  day. 

To  the  end  of  his  days  David  re- 
membered the  kindness  of  the 
stranger  who  met  him  and  sustained 
him  in  the  land  of  tears  beyond  the 
Jordan.  At  the  royal  table  a  place 
was  reserved  for  Chimham,  that  he 
might  eat  of  the  king's  meat  in 
memory  of  his  father's  deed.  And 
when  the  days  drew  on  that  David 
should  go  the  way  of  all  the  earth, 
the  memory  of  his  great  friend  in 
Gilead  was  fresh  and  strong  within 
his  failing  heart,  and  with  his  dying 
breath  he  commended  to  his  son 
Solomon  "  the  sons  of  Barzillai  the 
Gileadite." 

And  something  more  King  David 
did,  whereon  hangs  the  thread  of  a 
wondrous  history.  To  Chimham 
he  gave  a  portion  of  his  own  patri- 
mony at  Bethlehem,  a  bit  of  land 
once  belonging  to  the  field  of  his 


22      The  House  of  Chimham 

ancestor,  the  lusty  farmer  Boaz, 
where  also  the  sweet  Moabitish 
maiden  had  gleaned  and  sung, 
anxious  only  for  her  daily  bread, 
and  dreaming  nof  of  the  wonder 
that  should  be. 

"  The  fountains  of  Hebraic  song 
Are  in  thy  heart,  fair  Ruth, 
Fountains  whose  tides  are  deep  and  strong, 
In  deathless  love  and  truth." 

In  the  same  field  also  David,  the 
shepherd  boy,  ruddy  and  of  a  beau- 
tiful countenance  and  goodly  to  look 
upon,  had  watched  his  flocks  and 
tuned  his  shepherd's  pipes,  all  un- 
conscious too  of  the  wondrous  his- 
tory that  was  beckoning  him  on. 

So  it  came  to  pass  that  at  Bethle- 
hem, on  David's  portion  of  land, 
Chimham  built  his  caravansary — or 
khan  for  the  wayfarer.  It  bore  his 
name,  for  was  it  not  called  Geruth 
Chimham,  the  Lodging-Place  kept 
by  the  son  of  Barzillai,  "  which  is 
by  Bethlehem  "  ? 


f<  T  ET  me  live  in  a  house  by  the  side  of  the  road, 

•^-^      Where  the  race  of  men  go  by — 
The  men  who  are  good  and  the  men  who  are  bad, 

As  good  and  as  bad  as  I. 
I  would  not  sit  in  the  s corner1  s  seat, 

Or  hurl  the  cynic* s  ban; — 
Let  me  live  in  a  house  by  the  side  of  the  road, 

And  be  a  friend  to  man." 

So  at  Bethlehem,  David's  town, 
close  to  the  traveler's  way,  stood 
Geruth  Chimham,  and  gave  its  wel- 
come, as  the  old  man  of  Rogelim 
had  once  welcomed  the  king,  to  the 
passer-by.  It  had  no  outward  gran- 
deur, its  walls  were  plain  and  its 
courtyard  not  over  large  ;  yet  was  it 
better  than  a  Palace  of  Art,  for  the 
footfall  of  man  at  its  threshold  was 
ever  a  gladsome  sound. 

Men  looked  upon  it  and  knew 
not  that  it  had  an  uncommon  story. 


24     The  House   of  Chimham 

To  them  it  seemed,  as  so  often  seem 
the  common  mysteries  of  every  day, 
an  ordinary  thing  that  men  should 
keep  an  inn  and  welcome  the 
stranger  passing  by.  They  saw  not 
— how  can  men  see  except  their 
eyes  be  anointed  ? — the  light  that 
rested  already  upon  the  hill  tops  of 
David's  town,  and  drifted  in  cloud- 
like masses,  as  if  driven  by  a  master- 
hand,  toward  the  House  of  Chim- 
ham. Nevertheless  it  was  a  silent 
monument  of  friendship,  a  reminder 
of  the  fact  that  life  is  not  common, 
but  uncommon,  and  full  of  surprise  ; 
and  because  it  was  a  kindly  deed 
that  laid  its  foundations,  the  House 
of  Chimham  grew  in  the  years  into 
a  beautiful  history. 

Always  the  House  of  Chimham 
had  a  wide-open  door,  and  its  hosts 
from  generation  to  generation  were 
men  of  generous  mien.  In  the 
Bethlehem    inn  men  were  sure  to 


The   House   of  Chimham     25 

find  something  more  than  enter- 
tainment— they  found  hospitality, 
which  is  a  larger  and  finer  grace. 
Its  fame  spread  near  and  far,  and 
often  the  traveler  quickened  his  pace 
and  pushed  forward  on  the  way, 
anxious  to  lie  down  at  night  under 
the  hospitable  care  of  Chimham's 
khan.  Shepherds  passing  from  the 
pastures  of  the  south-land  to  the 
markets  of  the  north,  and  the 
drivers  of  droves  of  asses  also,  re- 
joiced when  they  saw  the  hills  of 
Bethlehem,  for  they  said — "  Now 
we  are  nigh  to  the  House  of  Chim- 
ham, where  both  man  and  beast  are 
comforted." 

Thus  the  shadow  of  Barzillai  the 
Gileadite  seemed  to  fall  out  across 
the  years,  and  his  gracious  hospi- 
tality renewed  itself  constantly  in  the 
deeds  of  men.  The  heritage  of  a 
gentle  spirit,  how  good  a  thing  it 
is!     It  lies  deep  in  the  blood,  nor 


26     The    House  of  Chimham 

can  generations  of  rude  custom 
wholly  expel  it.  Once  or  twice  only 
in  the  lapse  of  years  the  House  of 
Chimham  had  hosts  who  were  un- 
loving men,  whose  hearts  turned  to 
gain  more  than  to  their  fellow-men. 
In  those  days  decay  threatened  the 
ancient  inn.  The  flowers  that  were 
wont  to  grow  in  the  pathway  that 
led  to  the  door  turned  pale  and 
sickly,  and  the  vines  that  clustered 
upon  the  walls  fell  away.  A  new 
presence,  something  dark  and  un- 
wholesome, crept  across  the  thresh- 
old, and  seemed  for  the  time  at 
home  in  the  inn,  and  the  inn  itself 
seemed  about  to  become 

"A  spot  of  dull  stagnation,  without  light 
Or  power  of  movement." 

It  was  the  decay  of  selfishness 
that  threatened  the  House  of  Chim- 
ham. But  happily  other  hosts  came 
to  take  the  place  of  unloving  men, 
and  light  again  the  old  fire  of  love 


The  House  of  Chimham     27 

on  the  hearth-stone,  and  sing  once 
more  the  old  refrain  of  welcome  to 
weary  men. 

Little  by  little  in  some  strange 
way  the  House  of  Chimham  came 
to  embody  much  that  was  in  the 
souls  of  men.  It  grew  to  be  a 
shrine  of  human  feeling,  a  place 
where  the  hearts  of  men  leaped  up 
within  them,  and  longed  for  some- 
thing better.  Often  the  traveler 
came  and  lodged  in  the  House  of 
Chimham,  and  went  on  his  way  a 
better  man.  He  might  not  explain 
what  had  taken  place,  nor  was  he 
even  more  than  dimly  conscious  of 
a  change.  He  ate  his  food,  rested 
in  his  humble  bed,  paid  his  charge, 
and  received  the  ancient  benediction 
from  his  host — 

t(  The  Lord  bless  thee  and  keep  thee  ; 
The  Lord  make  His  face  to  shine  upon  thee,  and  be 

gracious  unto  thee  ; 
The  Lord  lift   up  His  countenance  upon  thee,  and 

give  thee  peace." 


28      The   House  of  Chimham 

But  as  he  went  on  his  way,  a 
touch  of  something  strange  and  fine 
rested  upon  him.  Nor  was  this  any- 
thing supernatural  that  had  been 
done  for  the  guest  of  the  House  of 
Chimham.  It  was  only  this — that 
the  spirit  of  love  and  friendship  had 
been  immured  there,  and  they  who 
came  within  its  walls  found  a  hal- 
lowed peace.  A  man  in  the  years 
gone  by  had  given  his  hand  and 
heart  to  the  king,  and  when  the  king 
out  of  his  heart's  fulness  gave  him  a 
temporal  reward,  he  added  also  a 
spiritual  reward.  This  it  was  that 
grew  through  the  years,  a  pledge  of 
kindness  and  hospitality  in  the  house, 
a  mortgage  of  love  and  friendship. 
And  this  it  was  that  fell  with  the 
benediction  of  the  host  upon  the 
guests  of  the  House  of  Chimham. 

Welcome  indeed  in  the  Bethle- 
hem inn  were  those  who  came  in 
distress  to  its  threshold.    Something 


"AS    HE   WENT    ON    HIS    WAY,    A    TOUCH    OF    SOME- 
THING STRANGE  AND  FINE  RESTED  UPON  HIM." 


The  House  of  Chimham     29 

large  and  generous  there  was  in  the 
spirit  of  this  lodging-place,  that  ap- 
peared to  expand  and  cover  all  the 
helplessness  of  men  with  a  divine 
protection.  Men  said  that  the  very- 
walls  of  the  House  of  Chimham 
were  known  to  creak  and  groan  in 
the  effort  to  widen  the  space  within, 
when  there  stood  at  the  door  a  foot- 
sore and  weary  traveler. 

Did  the  shepherd  come  for  shel- 
ter, anxious  and  weary  from  long 
searchings  in  the  hills  for  lost  ones 
of  his  flock?  Did  men  stop  for  a 
few  brief  hours  of  rest,  hastening 
homeward  at  the  message  of  disaster, 
sorrow  or  death  ?  Did  travelers 
come  bruised  by  the  perils  of  the 
way,  and  filled  with  many  fears, 
pleading  for  nightly  care  ?  Did  youth 
come,  or  middle  age,  or  trembling 
old  age,  having  found  the  way  hard 
and  long,  and  the  nightfall  close  at 
hand  ? 


OF  THE     "*     A 

UNIVERSITY  ) 


30      The  House  of  Chimham 

To  all  such  the  House  of  Chim- 
ham smiled  its  welcome,  bade  them 
enter  and  be  at  rest.  And  often  tired 
travelers,  beset  by  many  fears  and 
perils  of  life,  slept  in  the  House  of 
Chimham,  and  dreamed  that  Rest 
had  entered  their  very  souls,  that  the 
Dew  of  Youth  had  fallen  upon  their 
hearts.  And  in  the  morning  they 
girded  themselves  anew  and  went  on 
their  way,  for  Fear  had  been  left 
behind. 

Once — it  was  four  hundred  years 
after  Chimham  built  his  inn — a 
party  of  warriors  passed  by  on  the 
way  to  Egypt.  The  battle  had  gone 
hard  with  them,  and  they  were  sore 
pressed  with  much  lighting,  and  still 
the  fear  of  the  enemy  was  in  their 
hearts.  On  this  day  the  walls  of  the 
House  of  Chimham  must  have  made 
music  indeed  with  their  groaning 
and  cracking,  for  it  was  no  small 
company  with  the  men  of  war  and 


The  House  of  Chimham      31 

the  women  and  the  children.  Yet  we 
read  in  an  old  writing  of  the  time 
that  "  they  departed  and  dwelt  in 
Geruth  Chimham,  which  is  by  Beth- 
lehem, to  go  to  enter  into  Egypt, 
because  of  the  Chaldeans,  for  they 
were  afraid  of  them/' 

Most  of  all  the  House  of  Chim- 
ham gave  its  welcome  to  the  stran- 
ger. If  there  came  one  who  had 
found  the  world  cold  and  friendless, 
who  was  a  traveler  from  far  and 
sought  a  friend,  but  found  him  not 
— to  him  Geruth  Chimham  was  as  a 
land  of  sunshine.  For  both  in  the 
desert  and  in  the  city  the  Law  of 
the  Stranger  is  written  as  with  the 
finger  of  God.  Alas !  that  men 
ever  forget  it. . 


"     /t  PRESENCE  that  disturbs  me  with  the  joy 
-*-*       Of  elevated  thoughts;  a  sense  sublime 
Of  something  far  more  deeply  interfused. 
Whose  dwelling  is  the  light  of  setting  suns." 

As  the  years  went  by,  there  came 
trembling  into  the  hearts  of  those 
who  kept  the  House  of  Chimham 
a  Silent  Expectation.  Often  it  was 
like  music  heard  afar — 

st  That  swells,  and  sinks,  and  faints, 
and  falls,  till  all  is  still,' ' 

but  leaves  in  the  heart  a  sense  of 
something  sweet.  More  often  it  was 
like  unto  a  voice  calling  from  the 
mountain-tops  to  men  in  the  deep 
valleys,  startling  the  heart's  sluggish 
ways,  and  wakening  the  spiritual 
chivalry  of  the  soul.  Not  a  thing 
that  they  were  clearly  conscious  of, 


The  House  of  C  him  ham      33 

not  a  thing  to  be  boldly  proclaimed, 
it  became  nevertheless  a  silent  factor 
of  life,  round  which  they  drew  un- 
heralded thoughts,  clustered  quiet 
hopes,  and  built  the  dawn  of  a  beau- 
tiful Tomorrow. 

If  ever  any  more  wise  or  more 
bold  than  others  ventured  to  put  in 
words  the  meaning  of  the  Expec- 
tation, their  words  were  halting  and 
their  sentences  broken.  Yet  it  was 
plain  that  a  vision  was  in  their  minds 
of  some  golden  Largess  of  the  future 
that  would  come  to  men  ;  of  some 
rich  Friendship  that  would  dower 
humanity's  life  in  coming  days; 
and,  it  might  even  be,  of  some 
Coming  Guest,  whose  garments 
would  smell  of  myrrh  and  aloes  and 
cassia  wood,  and  whose  presence 
would  be  like  the  fragrance  and 
beauty  of  the  rose. 

Even  as  they  spoke  of  these  things, 
dreaming   by  the    fire  and  opening 


34      The  House  of  Chimham 

their  hearts  to  a  guest  more  thought- 
ful than  the  rest,  who  listened  with 
wonder  in  his  eyes,  the  thought  it- 
self seemed  to  elude  them.  For  men 
in  every  age  have  learned  that  their 
best  thoughts  cannot  be  held  captive 
in  words.  Words  make  our  feelings 
common;  and  they  live  the  best 
who  keep  a  kingdom  of  the  mind 
untouched  and  unexpressed,  that  still 
doth  let  its  riches  fall  silently,  like 
blossoms  of  heavy-laden  trees,  upon 
the  common  day.  If  men  could  al- 
ways articulate  their  feelings,  the 
well  of  life  would  soon  run  dry. 

But  though  the  Expectation  could 
not  easily  be  spoken  in  words,  it 
lived  and  grew  within  the  hearts  of 
men,  and  especially  in  the  hearts  of 
those  who  practiced  the  old  art  of 
love  and  hospitality  in  the  House  of 
Chimham.  To  them  it  grew  to  be 
a  natural  thought,  which  swelled  in 
their  bosoms  like  the  bursting  of  a 


The  House  of  Chimham      35 

rose  into  bloom.  To  them  it  seemed 
that  some  grand  Traveler  came  from 
afar — he  was  already  on  the  way, 
and  one  day  he  would  come  and  be 
a  guest  in  the  House  of  Chimham. 
Guests  came  and  went  daily,  but 
they  were  looking  always,  however 
dimly,  for  another  Guest.  Bands  of 
pilgrims  passed  by  going  up  to  the 
city.  Eagerly  the  men  of  Geruth 
Chimham  scanned  the  faces  of  the 
band,  if  perchance  there  might  be  a 
Stranger  among  them  who  should 
be— 

"He  Himself  with  His  human  air." 

Often  too  they  were  perplexed 
and  doubtful  lest  they  should  fail  to 
know  him  when  he  came.  Yet  an 
instinct  within  comforted  them,  and 
gave  them  quiet  assurance.  And  so 
their  hearts  sang  an  unconscious  re- 
frain : 

'«  Thou  shalt  know  him  when  he  comes, 
Not  by  any  din  of  drums, 


36      The  House  of  Chimham 

Nor  the  vantage  of  his  airs  ; 

Neither  by  his  crown, 
Nor  his  gown, 
Nor  by  anything  he  wears. 
He  shall  only  well-known  be 

By  the  holy  harmony 
That  his  coming  makes  in  thee." 

Little  by  little  it  grew  to  have 
healing  power — this  Hope  of  men's 
hearts.  It  was  salve  to  their  wounds, 
it  was  cordial  to  their  weariness. 
Still  more  it  was  iron  in  their  blood, 
and  in  the  strength  thereof  they  rose 
up  to  do  those  deeds  of  faith  and 
courage  which  are  the  pride  and  joy 
of  humanity.  For  men's  minds  are 
to  them  a  kingdom,  and  their 
thoughts  and  hopes  are  the  heralds 
of  royalty. 

Thus  something  indescribably  fine 
and  beautiful  came  by  anticipation 
to  the  House  of  Chimham.  Kind- 
ness dwelt  there,  not  as  an  alien,  but 
as  a  child  at  home.  Love  walked  in 
and  out  and  shed  her  benedictions  on 


The  House  of  Chimham      37 

every  hand.  Charity  dressed  herself 
in  ever  more  beautiful  garments, 
and  cast  her  ornaments  with  careless 
freedom  about  her.  Friendship  too 
became  a  gentle,  wholesome  com- 
panion of  men,  that  wooed  them  to 
high  chivalries  of  the  mind  and 
beautiful  deeds  of  courage.  And 
Faith  and  Hope  looked  out  of  the 
windows  upon  the  dreary  world,  and 
saw  a  growing  Beauty  in  earth  and 
sky. 

So  grew  the  Desire  in  the  House 
of  Chimham. 


'  TpROM  the  gift  looking  to  the  Giver ; 

And  from  the  cistern  to  the  river, 
And  from  the  finite  to  infinity , 
And  from  man*  s  dust  to  God's  divinity," 


There  were  great  stirrings  in  the 
Roman  world.  Looking  out  upon 
his  vast  Empire  from  his  central 
throne  in  Rome,  the  Emperor  grew 
ambitious  to  learn  the  statistics  of 
his  realm.  "  Let  all  the  world  be 
enrolled/'  said  Caesar;  and  his  com- 
mand was  sufficient  to  set  nations  in 
commotion.  In  due  time  from  all 
lands  that  confessed  the  sway  of 
Rome  the  figures  should  be  gathered 
for  the  census,  and  in  some  room  of 
the  Imperial  Palace  on  the  Palatine 
should  be  kept  the  written  story, 
prepared  by  many  hands,  of  the 
glory  of  Rome. 


The  House  of  Chimham      39 

Into  the  most  obscure  corners  of 
the  Empire  the  behest  of  Augustus 
reached.  In  the  narrow  land  of 
Syria  Quirinius  was  the  master  of 
the  Census,  as  he  was  also  governor 
of  the  province.  No  doubt  his  task 
was  well  done :  the  system  was  per- 
fect, the  results  painstaking  and  re- 
liable. How  little  men  knew,  from 
Emperor  to  governor  and  common 
census- taker,  that  into  the  midst  of 
these  human  plans  the  Glory  of  God 
would  come  ! 

A  peasant  pair  traveled  the  road 
to  Bethlehem,  products  of 

"  The  common  growth  of  mother  earth, 
Her  simplest  mirth  and  tears." 

They  journeyed  from  Nazareth 
of  Galilee  in  the  north.  At  noon 
on  the  last  day  of  the  journey  they 
passed  by  the  Holy  City,  and  turned 
southward  along  the  ancient  road 
that  led  to  the  "city  of  David 
which  is  called  Bethlehem." 


4-0      The  House  of  Chimham 

The  woman  rode  upon  an  ass ; 
the  man  walked  at  her  side.  She 
was  young  and  sweet-faced.  A  look 
of  eager  wistfulness  lighted  up  her 
pensive  countenance.  At  intervals 
something  like  a  snatch  of  maidenly 
song  escaped  her  lips.  The  man 
was  swarthy  and  strong ;  yet  there 
was  about  him  a  great  tenderness  of 
soul  that  made  his  words  gentle  and 
his  actions  gracious.  Blithely  they 
went  upon  their  way :  yet  withal 
the  man  cast  anxious  glances  now 
and  then  at  the  gentle-voiced 
woman  at  his  side. 

Was  ever  a  more  wondrous  jour- 
ney in  all  the  world  ?  Kings  and 
queens  have  had  their  processions, 
and  many  eminent  ones  have  walked 
the  pathways  of  Earth.  But  the 
kindly  light  of  sacred  story  rested 
not  upon  any  of  these.  On  this  day 
came  a  man  and  a  woman  out  of 
common  life :  and  they  walked  in 


The    House  of  Chimham    41 

the  light  of  God.  Wonder  of 
wonders !  that  the  world  should 
wait  so  long  for  this  journeying 
pair.  They  were  going  to  Beth- 
lehem to  be  enrolled,  for  they  were 
of  the  house  and  lineage  of  David. 
Slow  and  uneventful  the  journey ; 
but  they  were  traveling,  not  alone 
the  Bethlehem  road,  but  the  road 
that  led  onward  into  the  world's 
Romance,  and  outward  into  that 
wondrous  Providence  which  en- 
wraps human  love  and  sacrifice  and 
suffering,  and  lifts  "  man's  dust  to 
God's  divinity." 

Jostling  crowds  passed  them  on 
the  way,  peering  curiously  into  their 
faces  and  shouting  their  rude  yet 
courteous  greetings  as  they  hastened 
by.  None  among  them  all  knew 
that  they  had  touched  and  slighted 
the  Purpose  of  the  Ages. 

«'  In  the  mud  and  scum  of  things 
Something  always — always  sings." 


42      The   Mouse   of  Chimham 

Once  they  lingered  at  the  place 
where  Rachel  died  in  years  gone 
by,  and  where  Jacob  set  up  a 
pillar,  a  place  long  sacred  in  the 
love  men  bear  to  women,  and 
women  to  men. 

"  Our  father  Jacob  never  loved 
his  fair-faced  Rachel  better  than  I 
love  thee,  sweet  Mary."  The  man 
spoke  with  gentle  emphasis. 

"And  thou,  Joseph,"  she  replied, 
"  thou  hast  fully  won  a  maiden's 
heart.  Fair  Rachel  lay  down  here 
to  die ;  but  Jehovah's  care  is  round 
about  me." 

u  Blessed  be  His  name  !  May  it 
be  ever  so.  Yonder  is  David's  town, 
and  soon  thou  shalt  be  resting  with- 
in our  great  ancestor's  home." 

They  were  drawing  near  to  the 
House  of  Bread.  At  the  gateway 
they  stopped  to  drink  from  the  well 
at  the  gate,  the  same  where  royal 
David's  soldiers  drew  water  in  jeop- 


The  House  of  Chimham      43 

ardy  of  their  lives,  in  that  splendid 
rash  act  of  years  gone  by.  Presently 
they  passed  through  the  gate,  and 
turned  into  a  narrow  street  that  led 
towards  the  center  of  the  town.  Did 
the  voice  of  the  prophet  ring  proud- 
ly in  their  hearts? 

"  Thou,  Bethlehem  Ephrathah, 
which  art  little  to  be  among  the 
thousands  of  Judah,  out  of  thee  shall 
one  come  forth  unto  me  that  is  to  be 
ruler  in  Israel ;  whose  goings  forth 
are  of  old,  from  everlasting.  There- 
fore will  he  give  them  up,  until  the 
time  that  she  who  travaileth  hath 
brought  forth  ;  then  the  residue  of 
his  brethren  shall  return  unto  the 
children  of  Israel.  And  he  shall 
stand,  and  shall  feed  his  flock  in  the 
strength  of  Jehovah,  in  the  majesty 
of  the  name  of  Jehovah  his  God; 
and  they  shall  abide;  for  now  shall 
he  be  great  unto  the  ends  of  the 
earth." 


'  r\  LITTLE  town  of  Bethlehem, 

^        How  still  we  see  thee  lie! 
Above  thy  deep  and  dreamless  sleep 

The  silent  stars  go  by. 
Yet  in  thy  dark  streets  shine th 

The  everlasting  light; 
The  hopes  and  fears  of  all  the  years 

Are  met  in  thee  to-night" 


The  long  evening  shadows  were 
falling  as  the  travelers  entered  the 
city  of  David ;  and  the  silence  that 
comes  with  the  night  in  an  Eastern 
village  was  dropping  like  dew  upon 
the  house-tops.  Nevertheless  the 
town  was  full  of  strangers,  for  the 
decree  of  Augustus  had  swept  like  a 
wind  into  the  villages  of  Judea  and 
Samaria  and  Galilee,  and  beyond  the 
Jordan  as  well ;  and  had  brought 
the  children  of  the  House  of  David 


The  House  of  Chimham     45 

from  near  and  far  to  David's  town. 
How  beautiful  it  must  have  seemed 
on  that  wintry  evening,  looking  out 
from  the  hill-top  upon  the  fields 
that  swept  gently  away  into  the 
Judean  desert,  and  farther  still,  into 
the  great  world's  history!  The  two 
travelers  had  not  been  so  filled  with 
anxiety  as  to  miss  a  thrill  of  eager 
excitement  as  they  drew  near  to 
Bethlehem.  To  their  awakened  im- 
agination it  must  have  seemed  that 
the  sky  bent  down  to  kiss  the  little 
town;  and  the  stars  as  they  came 
out  one  by  one  were  like  beacon 
lights  along  the  hills. 

A  new  anxiety  now  filled  their 
minds — the  fear  lest  they  might  fail 
of  a  lodging-place.  Inquiring  in  the 
street  for  the  inn,  they  were  directed 
to  the  edge  of  the  town,  where  the 
field  of  Boaz  touched  it,  glowing 
now  in  the  late  shadows  of  the  even- 
ing light. 


46      The   House  of  Chimham 

It  was  Geruth  Chimham ,  the  old 
lodging-place  of  Chimham.  In  that 
land  so  unchangeable  despite  many 
changes,  the  ancient  inn  had  stood 
throughout  the  years,  on  the  portion 
of  land  that  belonged  to  the  patri- 
mony of  David.  It  was  standing 
still,  and  its  door  was  flung  invit- 
ingly open  to  the  weary  travelers. 

A  crowd  of  people  filled  the  court 
of  the  caravansary,  busy  with  the 
evening  meal,  and  talking  and  ges- 
ticulating in  Oriental  fashion.  In 
the  babble  of  speech  Joseph  and 
Mary  heard  with  glad  hearts  the 
rough  bur  of  their  own  Galilean 
tongue. 

The  kindly  host  came  out  to  meet 
them  with  the  old  welcome  of  the 
House  of  Chimham.  But  alas!  there 
was  no  room  for  them  in  the  inn. 
Every  nook  and  cranny  of  the  hospi- 
table old  khan  was  filled  to  over- 
flowing. The  enrolment  had  brought 


The  House  of  Chimham     47 

such  a  multitude — never  in  all  its 
history  had  the  quiet  town  been  so 
full,  and  many  had  stayed  on  beyond 
their  time.  The  pride  of  David's 
people  was  great.  They  could  scarce 
be  driven  away,  the  host  said.  The 
newcomers  could  see  for  themselves. 
The  host  was  plainly  distressed.  The 
House  of  Chimham,  he  said,  was 
not  wont  to  close  its  doors  to  the 
stranger.  But  how  could  it  be  other- 
wise ? 

Joseph  and  Mary  turned  sadly 
away.  Sympathetic  eyes  followed 
them,  but  none  offered  them  a  place. 
They  were  in  the  street  again,  and 
facing  the  necessity  of  spending  the 
night  under  the  open  sky.  In  the 
midst  of  their  distress  a  messenger 
overtook  them.  He  came  in  breath- 
less haste  from  the  innkeeper  at  the 
House  of  Chimham.  The  host,  he 
cried,  was  sorrowing  for  them — he 
could  not  let  them  go  away.    In  the 


48      The  House  of  Chimham 

day  of  King  David's  need  Barzillai 
had  received  him  and  cared  for  him. 
Was  not  the  House  of  Chimham  it- 
self the  monument  of  that  friend- 
ship ?  In  all  its  years  the  House  of 
Chimham  had  been  pledged  to  hos- 
pitality. God  forbid  that  any  of  the 
house  and  lineage  of  David  should 
fail  of  hospitality  in  Geruth  Chim- 
ham! 

The  messenger  grew  excited  as  he 
spoke.  Was  not  the  woman  near  to 
the  hour  of  woman's  pathetic  joy  ? 
In  his  heart  also  the  host  feared  to 
let  them  go  away,  lest  the  House  of 
Chimham  might  miss  some  signal 
blessing  of  Jehovah.  It  was  the  old 
instinctive  Desire  to  see  among  the 
faces  of  men  a  New  Face  of  a 
Stranger  grander  than  all — a  Desire 
born  of  centuries  of  love  and  hope 
and  faith.  He  could  not  give  them 
a  place  in  the  inn,  but  in  the  stable 
he  would  prepare  them  room.  Would 


"THE   EVENING   MEAL  WAS   SOON   BROUGHT,  WITH 
A   BOTTLE   OF  WATER." 


The  House  of  Chimham     49 

they  accept  such  lowly  quarters  ? 
Clean  sweet  straw  should  be  spread 
for  their  bed,  and  the  master  of  the 
House  would  himself  rejoice  to  look 
after  their  comfort.  The  hospitality 
of  the  House  of  Chimham,  the  mes- 
senger grandly  affirmed,  should  ex- 
tend even  to  the  manger  and 
the  stall,  and  the  humble  beasts 
should  join  in  welcome  to  the 
strangers. 

The  man  and  woman  hesitated 
not  a  moment.  Soon  they  entered 
the  khan  again  and  made  their  way 
among  the  crowd  to  the  rear.  The 
stable  was  close  at  hand.  Indeed  it 
was  a  roomy  cave  of  a  hill.  Timbers 
were  set  up  in  front,  and  in  the  rear 
and  on  the  sides  of  the  cave  were 
mangers  and  stalls  for  the  cattle. 
The  host  with  his  servants  was 
bustling  to  and  fro,  directing  the 
preparation.  The  evening  meal  was 
soon  brought,  with  a  bottle  of  water. 


50      The  House  of  Chimham 

The   servants   laid    a   bed    of    clean 
straw  near  one  of  the  mangers. 

So  these  children  of  the  family  of 
David  lay  down  to  rest  under  the 
protection  of  the  House  of  Chim- 
ham, while  the  silent  stars  went  by. 
Strange  guidance  that  brought  them 
— this  Galilean  pair — out  of  the 
years,  out  of  common  life,  out  of 
the  night,  into  this  lowly  place  of 
Light.  And  even  as  they  lay  down 
upon  their  common  bed  of  straw, 
the  mute  cattle  standing  by,  the  un- 
conscious world  drew  near.  And 
in  a  little  Book  of  great  meaning 
we  come  upon  a  sentence  that 
strikes  down  to  the  very  roots  of 
our  humanity — 

"  And  she  brought  forth  her  firstborn 
son ;  and  she  wrapped  him  in  swaddling 
clothes,  and  laid  him  in  a  manger,  because 
there  was  no  room  for  them  in  the  inn" 

In    the    silence    of  that   wonderful 


The  House  of  Chimham     51 

night  in  Bethlehem  the  world's  Joy 
came  with  the  coming  of  a  little 
child.  No  pomp  of  circumstance 
or  power  was  there.  It  was  a 
homely,  an  intensely  human  scene, 
as  if  men  were  being  taught  that 
God  is  with  us — Immanuel — with  us 
in  the  last  and  lowest  place  of  life. 
A  palace  for  a  birthplace  would 
have  left  this  truth  untold.  The 
low-vaulted  stable,  the  common 
stalls,  the  rough-hewn  manger,  the 
pallet  of  straw,  the  mute  cattle,  the 
peasant-folk  about,  and  withal  the 
sweet-faced  mother,  in  the  divine 
art  of  motherhood,  pressing  her 
firstborn  to  her  breast,  and  laying 
him,  wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes, 
in  the  manger  close  beside  her — in 
such  a  scene  as  this  at  last  we  know 

"  How  close  is  glory  to  the  dust." 

Outside  the  stars  glistened  in   the 
cold  sky,  whilst  yonder  on  the  hill- 


52      The  House  of  Chimham 

side  in  the  field  of  Boaz  a  group  of 
startled  shepherds  listened  to  an 
angel's  proclamation — 

"Behold,  I  bring  you  good  tid- 
ings of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  to 
all  the  people:  for  there  is  born  to 
you  this  day  in  the  city  of  David  a 
Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord." 
And  as  they  listened,  a  "choir  in- 
visible" sang  the  world's  anthem — 

"  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest , 
And  on  earth  peace  among  men  in 
whom  he  is  well  pleased.'' 


<<  TJ*OR  our  joy  and  our  health,  Jesus   Christ  of 

A        Heaven 
In  poor  man's  apparell pursueth  us  ever. 
And  looketh  upon  us  in  their  likeness  ;  and  that  with 

lovely  cheer 
To  know  us  by  our  kind  heart,  and  casting  of  our 
eyes." 


Did  the  host  of  the  House  of 
Chimham  come  in  the  morning 
with  the  shepherds  from  the  hills, 
into  the  stable  of  the  inn,  to  look 
with  wonder  upon  the  new-born 
babe  lying  so  peacefully  on  the 
manger-straw?  Did  he  look  with 
gentle  awe  into  the  fathomless  eyes 
of  childhood  and  divine  aught  of 
the  light  reflected  there?  Did  his 
mind  thrill  with  spiritual  excite- 
ment when  he  remembered  that  a 


54      The  House  of  Chimham 

child  of  David's  house  and  lineage 
had  been  born  in  the  House  which 
David  gave  to  Barzillai's  son  ?  Did 
his  heart  swell  with  the  memory  of 
the  ancient  promises,  and  did  he  real- 
ize in  the  joy  and  harmony  of  his 
own  heart  that  the  Stranger  for 
whom  they  had  looked  and  longed 
had  come  at  last — had  come,  humbly 
and  sweetly  as  a  little  child,  to  take 
his  place  in  the  hearts  of  men  ? 

Or  was  it  later  when  the  travel- 
worn  Magi  came  from  the  East,  fol- 
lowing from  afar  a  blazing  star  that 
beckoned  them  on,  which  having 
lost  once  they  found  again  reflected 
in  the  waters  of  a  wayside  well,  and 
followed  until  it  stood  glowing  like 
a  heavenly  beacon  above  Bethlehem  ? 
And  did  the  host  of  the  House  of 
Chimham  stand  in  wonder  looking 
on  as,  with  reverent  awe,  these  far- 
traveled  men  of  the  mysterious  East 
opened    their    treasure    and   poured 


The  House  of  Chimham     $$ 

rich  gifts  of  gold  and  frankincense 
and  myrrh  at  the  feet  of  the  Child 
born  in  the  House  of  Chimham  ? 
And  did  he  realize  however  faintly 
that  the  House  of  Chimham  had 
now  received  its  spiritual  reward, 
even  as  long  ago  King  David  had 
bestowed  upon  his  kindly  host  in 
Gilead  a  temporal  reward  ? 

And  do  we  who  live  in  these  late 
days,  and  read  still  with  wonder  in 
our  hearts  the  story  of  the  Bethle- 
hem Child,  realize  that  the  House 
of  Chimham  was  the  rightful  birth- 
place for  such  as  He  ? 

And  does  the  truth  dawn  upon  us 
in  the  fulness  of  these  Christian 
days,  that  the  Christ  will  always  be 
born  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  love 
and  long  and  believe  and  serve,  and 
look  meanwhile  for  His  Face  among 
the  travelers  on  the  road  ? 

This  is  the  story  of  the  House  of 
Chimham. 


189831 


3V4$*ID 


